Automatic lock slider for slide fasteners



y 1961 G. R. STONE 2,983,018

AUTOMATIC LOCK SLIDER FOR SLIDE FASTENERS Filed Oct. 13, 1958 INVENTOR. 650265 R STONE United States Patent Ofice 2,983,018 Patented May 9, 1961 AUTOMATIC LOCK SLIDER FOR SLIDE FASTENERS Filed Oct. 13, 1958, Ser. No. 766,801

Claims. (01. 24-20514) This invention relates to sliders for slide fasteners, and more particularly, to an improved automatic lock slider therefor. I

Automatic lock sliders are now in common use 111 connection with slide fasteners. Such sliders lock auto.- matically in any position along the fastener stringers when the pull member is released and are unlocked automatically when the pull member is grasped to move the slider in either an opening or closing direction along the fastener. Many types of automatic lock sliders have heretofore been suggested and used. Some have been satisfactory and others unsatisfactory. Most automatic lock sliders heretofore suggested'and used were cumbersome and consisted of a multiplicity of parts which were difiicult and expensive to fabricate and assemble.

Accordingly, it is the general object of the present invention to provide an improved automatic lock slider for slide fasteners in which all of the above mentioned disadvantages are eliminated.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved automatic lock slider which is simple and inexpensive inits construction consisting of a minimum number of parts which can be easily fabricated and assembled.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an automatic lock slider which has a relatively fiat appearance and a minimum over-all thickness and which, at V the same time, is efiicient and effective in its use.

Various other objectsand advantages of this invention will be more apparent in the course of the following specification, and will be particularly pointed out in the appended vclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, there is shown for the purpose of illustration, an embodiment which my invention may assume in practice.

In the drawings: 7

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved automatic lock slider constructed in accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View through the center of the same, i

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the slider body, a

Fig. 4 is' a perspective view of the locking member, and j Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the improved slider in accordance with the present invention consists of the slider body having upper and lower spacedapart wing portions 2 and 3, respectively, integrally connected together at one end thereof by a neck portion 4 and having marginal flange portions 5 so as to provide a substantially Y-shaped channel 6 therebetween.

On the outer side of the upper wing portion 2 directly opposite the neck portion 4, there is arranged a lug portion 7 having a transversely extending projection 8 arranged to either side thereof which are spaced from the upper wing 2 so as to provide spaces 9 between these projecting portions and the upper wing.

There is provided an inherently resilient locking memtherebetween.

her 10 which is preferably made from relatively thin spring material. One end of this locking member 10 is bifurcated so as to provide a pair of spaced-apart reversely bent arm-like portions 12 having a space 13 This space 13 is slightly wider than the lug 7 of the slider body for a purpose hereinafter to be described. These reversely bent portions 12 are arranged so as to provide a yoke-like portion in the form of a pair of hook-like portions at one end of the locking member 10. On the extreme ends of these reversely bent portions 12, there is provided inwardly extending portions 14 so as to provide shoulders 15. On the opposite end of the locking member 10, there is provided a pair of spaced-apart locking prongs 16 which are adapted to extend into and through a pair of corresponding apertures 17 arranged in the upper wing 2. It will be understood that the reversely bent portions 12 are positioned in the spaces 9 between the transversely extending portions 8 of the lug 7 and the top of the wing portion 2. In such position, it will be seen that the inwardly extending portions 14 on the ends of the reversely bent portions 12 extend around the front of the lug portions 7, as more clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 5, in under .the forwardly extending projecting portion 18 carried by the lug 7 so as to hold the locking member securely in position on the slider body. It will also be noted that the end wall 19 at the end of the bifurcation abuts the upper front wall 20 of the, lug 7 which also acts to prevent displacement of the locking member relative to the lug and to maintain it securely in position thereon.

There is provided a pull member 21 having a transside of the wing portion 2 for actuating the slider and the locking member in a well known manner.

It will be understood that the locking member 10 can bemerely snapped into engagement with the lug 7. That is to say, the reversely bent arm-like portions 12 are initially positioned in the spaces 9 at the upper end of theislider so as to straddle the central portion of the lug 7. The locking member is then moved downwardly on the wing with these arm-like portions 12 passing into the spaces 9. When the locking member 10 has been fully seated on the lug 7, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, it will be seen that the hook-like portions will be disposed around the transversely extending projections 8. In such position the opposed inwardly extending portions 14 arranged on the outer ends of the arm-like portions 12 will snap into position behind the front wall of the lug 7 and that the end wall 19 of the locking member will snap into position behind'the upper front wall 20 of the lug so that the locking member will be held securely in position thereon. Also, in such position the locking prongs16 will pass into and through the apertures 17 in the upper 'wing 2. In assembling, it willbe understood that the trunnionportion 22 of'the pull member 21 is first positioned 'on the slider wing 2 so that the locking member will pass over and around the same when the locking member is positioned on the lug as above described, whereby the trunnion portion is positioned between the locking member and the upper surface of the wing 2 after assembly.

Having described the construction and assembly of my improved automatic lock slider, it functions in the following manner. i

It will be understood that the locking member 10 normally assumes its locked position, as shown in the full lines of Figs. 1 and 2 with the pull member disposed against the upper wing 2 substantially parallel thereto. When the slider is manipulated to engage and disengage the fastener elements of the fastener (not shown) the pull member 21 is grasped and moved to the position substantially as shown in the broken lines of Fig. 2. In moving the pull member to such position, the trunnion portions 22 thereof will move the locking member outwardly from the upper wing 2 thereby moving the locking prongs 16 out of the slider channel 6 and out of engagement with the fastener elements in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. When it is desired to lock the slider, the pull member is released and it again assumes the position as shown in the full lines of Fig. 2 with the locking prongs 16 again entering the slider channel.

As a result of my invention, it will be seen that there is provided a new and novel automatic lock slider consisting of only three pieces which can be easily and inexpensively fabricated and assembled. It will also be seen that the locking member can be assembled on the slider body without the need of expensive tools or other equipment. It will be seen further that the over-all thickness of the slider has been reduced to a minimum and that a relatively flat and neat appearing slider is provided.

While I haveshown and described an embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this embodiment is merely for the purpose of illustration and description, and that other forms may be devised within the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In an automatic lock slider for slide fasteners having a pair of spaced-apart wing portions interconnected at one end by a neck portion so as to provide substantially a Y-shaped channel therebetween, a lug arranged on one of said Wing portions adjacent the neck portion, a transversely extending portion arranged to either side of said lug, an inherently resilient elongated locking member being bifurcated at one end and bent so as to provide a pair of spaced-apart hook-like portions, said hook-like portions being disposed around the respective transversely extending portions at either side of said lug, means for holding the locking member securely in position on said lug, a locking prong arranged on the opposite end of said locking member Which extends into and through an aperture in said wing into said slider channel, and a pull member having a transversely extending trunnion portion arranged on one end thereof which is positioned between the locking member and the upper surface of said wing.

2, In an automatic lock slider for slide fasteners having a pair of spaced-apart wing portions interconnected at one end by a neck portion so as to provide substantially a Y-shaped channel therebetween, a lug arranged on one of said wing portions adjacent the neck portion, said lug having a transversely extending projection carried thereby to either side thereof, both of said projections being spaced from the outer surface of said wing portion so as to provide a space therebetween to either side of said lug, an inherently resilient elongated locking member being bifurcated at one end so as to provide a pair of reversely bent spaced-apart arm-like portions on one end thereof, said locking member being mounted on said lug so that the reversely bent arm-like portions straddle the same and are disposed in the spaces between the transversely extending projections carried thereby and the upper surface of said wing and around the respective projections, means for holding the locking member securely in position on said lug, a locking prong arranged on the opposite end of said locking member which extends into and through an aperture in said Wing into said slider channel, and a pull member having a transversely extending trunnion portion arranged on one end thereof which is positioned between the locking member and the upper surface of said wing.

3. The combination, as defined in claim 2, wherein the means for holding the locking member securely in position on said lug includes a pair of opposed inwardly extending projections arranged adjacent ends of said arm-like portion which are disposed around the inner end of said lug and engage therewith.

4. In an automatic lock slider for slide fasteners having a pair of spaced-apart wing portions interconnected at one end by a neck portion so as to provide substantially a Y-shaped channel therebetween, a lug arranged on one of said wing portions adjacent the neck portion, said lug having a transversely extending projection carried thereby to either side thereof, both of said projections being spaced from the outer surface of said wing portion so as to provide a space therebetween to either side of the lug, an inherently resilient elongated locking member having a reversely bent portion arranged on one end thereof which is bifurcated to a point intermediate the length thereof so as to provide a pair of spaced-apart hoolelike portions, said locking member being mounted on said lug so that hook-like portions are disposed around the respective transversely extending projections carried by said lug with the reversely bent end portions disposed in the spaces between the transversely extending projections carried thereby and the upper surface of said wing, and with the end of the bifurcation abutting the front end wall of said lug, means for holding the locking member securely in position on said lug, a locking prong arranged on the opposite end of said locking member which extends into and through an aperture in said wing into said slider channel, and a pull member having a tarnsversely extending trunnion portion arranged on one end thereof which is positioned between the locking member and the upper surface of said wing.

5. The combination, as defined in claim 4, wherein the means for holding the locking member securely in position on said lug includes a pair of opposed inwardly extending projections arranged adjacent ends of said arm-like portion which are disposed around the inner end of said lug and engage therewith,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,045,626 Winterhalter June 30, 1936 2,477,439 Carlile July 26, 1949 2,657,445 Weber Nov. 3, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 186,213 Austria Oct. 15, 1955 

